Artfully Managing Complexity – The Dell Digital Way

Evolving, integrating, transforming. Over the years, Dell Digital (formerly Enterprise IT) has gone from delivering packaged applications to custom applications, to now using a balanced team approach that enables us to shift our focus up the stack to create better team member, customer, and partner experiences.

We’re In This Together

We are on a journey similar to countless others in the industry. And because we share a kinship of digital transformation, we are often asked to share our successes and the lessons we’ve learned from working in the Dell Digital Way – the way we partner across Dell using a direct, simplified approach to quickly design, develop, iterate and deliver new products. More and more, the Dell Digital Way is being held up as an example of elegantly managing complexity while creating a work environment that our team members are not only enjoying, but one they are demanding to work in every day.

With the Dell EMC integration behind us, we are now fully engaged in driving digital transformation for all of Dell. We are transforming our infrastructure to one that at its core has a software-designed modern data center. We are moving from working with our internal business partners on waterfall projects that last several years to one that is agile with iterative releases that deliver greater value sooner.

Like a “Symphony Conductor” Driving Digital Transformation

Foundationally, we’ve also applied solid operational rigor across our teams, processes, metrics and response measures while also being fiscally prudent while leveraging the scale of Dell. This discipline has helped us stand up a clean architecture – an elegant, modern architecture that allows us to drive efficiency and simplicity.

There is a real “art” to managing complexity so that it feels easy and natural. Like a symphony conductor applying rigor and managing the intricacy of different instruments, sounds and performers to deliver a brilliantly executed performance, we are similarly driving Dell’s digital transformation.

The Dell Digital 2018-2019 Annual Performance Report provides a deeper look at where we are on our digital journey, the challenges we’ve faced and the opportunities we’ve seized. It demonstrates our well-designed approach to digital transformation and how the role of Dell Digital continues to evolve across the organization.

Embracing the Dell Digital Way

We are playing an increasingly strategic role in driving digital business initiatives while embracing the Dell Digital Way with our HR, marketing, finance, security, facilities and services business partners. The best part is they are also applying Dell Digital Way principles across their functions and organizations – and they are fast becoming our best storytellers and are showcase examples of digital transformation. You can hear their stories in the business perspective video [below] included in this multimedia report.

If you are in the throes of digital transformation, you will likely find many parallels to your own experiences in this report, and hopefully, our story and the Dell Digital Way will also provide you nuggets of inspiration for managing the complexity. The report is available for download, and we encourage you to share it with your colleagues.

I speak for the Office of the CIO when I say we are incredibly proud of our Dell Digital team and what we have accomplished over the last 12 months. While we’re not done yet, please join us in reflecting, celebrating and learning from our efforts this past year. And while you do, we will get back to the business of “artfully” accelerating the digital transformation that is helping Dell become a digital business of the future.

About Jen Felch

Chief Digital Officer, Dell

Jen Felch is the Chief Digital Officer for Dell, responsible for driving the strategy, direction and delivery for Dell Digital (Dell’s IT organization) while leading the transformation and adoption of digital technologies across Dell.

Jen’s position combines the traditional roles and responsibilities of a CIO, along with the emerging role of change agent for digital transformation. She leads the organization in the Dell Digital Way – a simplified and innovative approach to quickly introducing new products and capabilities that provide Dell with an unrivaled competitive edge.

Most recently, Jen was a senior vice president in the Office of the CIO, leading corporate supply chain, IT strategy and business operations. Prior to that role, Jen dramatically improved the order experience for businesses throughout Dell and held several global business architecture, supply chain and factory operations roles. Before joining Dell, she held a variety of engineering and leadership roles at Boeing, Parametric Technology Corporation (PTC), and successful software startups.

Jen has a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering from MIT and is an alumnus of the Leaders for Global Operations Program at MIT, where she earned her MBA and an MS in Computer Science.